How we work

Who decides on the Commission's work programme?

From time to time we consult widely to help us draw up a new programme of law reform. The Law Commissions Act 1965 requires the Commission to submit "programmes for the examination of different branches of the law" to the Lord Chancellor for his approval before undertaking new work.

Before deciding which projects to take forward, the Law Commission takes views from judges, lawyers, Government Departments, the voluntary and business sectors, and the general public.

We also take on projects that are referred to us by Government Departments.

What criteria are used to select new projects?

The Commission considers reviewing an area of law reform against certain criteria:

importance - the extent to which the law is unsatisfactory, and the potential benefits from reform

suitability - whether the independent non-political Commission is the most suitable body to conduct the review

resources - valid experience of Commissioners and staff, funding available, and whether the project meets the requirements of the programme

What are the stages of a typical law reform project?

Once the Law Commission has agreed to review an area of law:

the remit of the project is decided, in conjunction with the relevant Government department

a study of the area of law is undertaken and its defects identified. Other systems of law are examined to see how they deal with similar problems

a consultation paper is issued setting out in detail the existing law and its defects, giving the arguments for and against the possible solutions and inviting comments. The paper is circulated widely to all interested individuals and organisation, and to the media. We actively encourage feedback from any interested member of the public, including comments on problems we may not have dealt with or the likely effect of something we have proposed. You can respond to any of the Commission's open consultations

a report is submitted to the Lord Chancellor and relevant Secretary of State, giving our final recommendations and the reasons we are making them. Where necessary, we include a draft Bill that would give effect to our recommendations.

Assessing the impact of reform

At all stages of our work, from project selection through to making recommendations, we will assess the impact of reform.